Agenda item

This report provides an update on the status of each School Travel Plan for schools in Mole Valley, as well as the take up of activities offered to schools by the county council’s Safer Travel and Cycle Training Teams over the last academic year. It also highlights those schools that have expanded and are currently in breach of their planning obligations because they have not yet completed an accredited School Travel Plan.

Declarations of interest: None

Officers present: Duncan Knox, Road Safety & Active Travel Team Manager

Councillor Michael left the meeting during this item.

Member discussion – key points:

·         It is striking that few of the Independent schools have anything to show. Is that because there is less funding for them for this? Is Howard of Effingham not on the list because it falls within Guildford? St Theresa’s is on the list. The chairman noted its boundary falls partly in Mole Valley and partly in Guildford. The Road Safety and Active Travel Team Manager responded that he does not know why the independent schools are not doing so much. This is possibly because the county council focuses more on its own schools. However the county council would be happy to assist them.

·         The divisional member for Ashtead was surprised that Greville Primary School is listed, as their Headteacher has told him they do have an up to date travel plan. They have spoken of difficulties with the IT system used to fill it in.  The Road Safety and Active Travel Team Manager responded that it is a national website. The table included with the report shows its status at the last academic year. He will confirm that Greville has updated theirs. The benefit of the online system is that officers can monitor it and get updates on what action is being undertaken.

·         Is road safety education charged for? We need to encourage all schools to give road safety education. The Road Safety and Active Travel Team Manager responded that the council does charge for cycle training. The service is self-funding through grants and fees, and trains 18,000 young people each year through 4 officers and 50 bank cycling staff. The fees are charged to the schools. Many of the schools pass at least some of the costs on to the parents. Officers hope to introduce pedestrian training to schools in the coming year, for children from around eight years old.

·         Members asked to be kept up to date with that initiative so they can work with schools locally to encourage them to take this up.

Resolution:

The Local Committee (Mole Valley) AGREED to note:

(i) The county council’s Safer Travel Team will continue to encourage and support all  Surrey’s expansion schools to complete and maintain their School Travel Plan using the online Modeshift STARS system.

(ii) From 2018/19, the Safer Travel Team will also encourage all Surrey’s schools to create a School Travel Plan using the online Modeshift STARS accreditation system. This will involve promotion and the offer of training and support to all schools

(iii) Members are invited to assist by encouraging schools to sign up to Modeshift

STARS, and to take up the activities offered by the Safer Travel and Cycle Training Teams to improve road safety and encourage sustainable travel.

Reasons for recommendations:

Successful implementation of School Travel Plans will lead to improvements in road

safety and more sustainable travel on school journeys. This will reduce congestion,

improve air quality, and active travel will improve the health of children.